Category: Walt Disney World

10 Things To Know On The Go

2015 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party returns to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom on select nights September 1- November 1, 2015, with some new additions and returning favorites.

With the parties beginning this week, I thought I would share 10 Things to Know On the Go – 2015 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.

1. Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party officially begins at 7 pm and concludes at midnight, however guests may enter the park at 4 pm before the festivities begin.

Photo: Walt Disney World

2. Happy HalloWishes will begin at 10 pm, which is a little later than last year, so you will want to pace younger party goers as they surely won’t want to miss these fireworks!

Photo: Walt Disney World

3. The ever popular Boo-To- You Parade steps off in Frontierland twice during Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at new times of 8:35 pm and 11:15 pm.

4. If you love a Holiday cupcake or treat, then Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party has you covered. At Gaston’s Tavern you will find a special Ghost cupcake, Storybook Treats will be offering Candy Corn soft serve ice cream, The Main Street Bakery will have two special cupcakes – a spider cupcake and monster cupcake- and a Halloween Cookie, The Plaza Ice Cream Parlor will have a Halloween Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich, and you will be able to find Candy Corn Cotton Candy throughout the park.

Photo: Walt Disney World

5. Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular: This new and highly anticipated addition to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party takes place at 8 pm, 9:20 pm, 10:40 pm, and 12 am.

In Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular the mischievous Sanderson Sisters from Disney’s “Hocus Pocus” return to the mortal world for one night during the Halloween season. With only a few hours to run amuck, the three sisters decide to use their magic to throw the best, evil Halloween party this side of the graveyard!

Photo: Walt Disney World

With the help of the Disney villains, Winifred, Mary and Sarah gather together sinister shadows, nefarious nightmares and the power of their frightful friends to conjure the ultimate Hocus Pocus Party Potion and cast a spell on everyone in the Magic Kingdom Park. “Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular” features appearances by Dr. Facilier, Oogie Boogie, Maleficent and other great Disney villains, along with dancers, projections and special effects that combine to make this new show a not-to-be-missed Halloween treat.

6. Special Characters: You can meet some of your favorite Disney Characters in their Halloween costumes as well as meet characters who are exclusively visiting guests during Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. You will find the character locations on the event map, and the Character Attendants are really helpful in letting you know when they will be meeting if they are not there.

Photo: Walt Disney World

7. Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom: As in years past, there is a Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Exclusive Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom Card that is available at the Firestation on Main Street U.S.A.

Photo: Walt Disney World

8. Trick-or-Treat Opportunities: Adults and children can Trick-or-Treat together at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party with 11 Candy Spots and a Trick-or-Treat Trail in Fantasyland that begins near the Fantasyland Railroad Station in Storybook Circus.

Photo: Walt Disney World

9. Attractions: During Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party you will find that there are 26 attractions that will be open, but it is important to note that you will not be able to schedule any FastPass+ times during the party.

Photo: Walt Disney World

10. It wouldn’t be a Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party without exclusive party merchandise! This year there will be a special edition MagicBand, a special edition Trading Pin, and of course the event T-Shirt. You can get them at the Emporium, and at Frontier Trading Post for the pin.

We’ll be at tonight’s first Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and on September 18th, so make sure you follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

For more information and to purchase tickets to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party visit the official website, and happy start of the Halloween Season!

There’s a chill in the air at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, because until September 7, 2015 the park is playing host to “Frozen” Summer Fun.

This year’s “Frozen” Summer Fun Celebration has some great new additions that include an enhanced parade, a super-cute Olaf stage show, the opportunity to catch ‘Frozen Fever’, fun Photopass settings, an improved Hyperion Theater, DJ Chill on the 1’s and 2’s, and a fireworks finale that is truly spectacular.

The Frozen Summer Fun LIVE! at Disney’s Hollywood Studios line-up is full of fun activities and here are some tips for making the most of each:

“Frozen” Royal Welcome (10:30 am and 1:30 pm) – Hollywood Boulevard

The “Frozen” Royal Welcome is your chance to see Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Olaf, and their friends as they make their way into Hollywoodland to join the “Frozen” Summer Fun Festivities.

The parade begins near the entrance of the park as Royal Arendelle Flag Corps lead the procession as Princess Anna arrives in a horse-drawn sleigh, Kristoff and his ice cutters follow, before skiers clear a path for Olaf to visit, and then a flurry of skaters show Queen Elsa down Hollywood Boulevard.

The entire procession pauses twice along the route as guests in Hollywoodland are invited to join in singing “Let It Go!”

You will want to grab a spot on the early side if you want to have a prime spot near one of the two parade stops. The best “Frozen” Royal Welcome Spots are near the large screen along Hollywood Boulevard (for the best Olaf views) or near the sound tent for Center Stage (for the best Elsa views).

Having always dreamed of being in “snow business,” Olaf is joined by some of his summery friends to sing his famed number, “In Summer,” inviting the audience to join in. Then, Olaf sends a flurry from his personal snow cloud out over the audience in an icy blast.

Since this show is performed on Center Stage, there is little to no shade so my best tip is to stand as long as you can and then catch the rest of the show as you pass by during the day.

I definitely wouldn’t skip it, but if it is blazing hot I won’t judge you for catching the show in bits and pieces.

For the First Time in Forever: A “Frozen” Sing-Along Celebration (Several Times a Day with FP+ Availability) – Hyperion Theater

While the Royal Historians of Arendelle host this fun and comedic retelling of the unique story of their kingdom is unchanged, the all-new in-theater effects and special appearances by Anna, Elsa and Kristoff are outstanding.

If you can grab a FastPass+, do so! You won’t regret catching the show again for the new effects, and the AC is an especially nice treat.

Frozen Fever (Continuous loop) – ABC Sound Studio

Twice each hour beginning at 10 a.m. daily, guests also can view a showing of the new animated short, “Frozen Fever,” which debuted in theaters with Disney’s live-action “Cinderella,” and a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film inside the ABC Sound Studio.

Again, this is a great way to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the park in the cool air.

“Coolest Summer Ever” Dance Party (5:45 – 9:30 pm) – Center Stage

Once the sun goes down, DJ Chill and some favorite Disney Characters take to the stage to host the “Coolest Summer Ever” Dance Party.

What I super love about this year’s Dance Party, is that there are characters in the crowd dancing with the guests.

“Frozen” Fireworks Spectacular (9:30 pm) – Center Stage

As the night comes to a close, Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and Olaf come together at the Event Stage for a grand finale to the day’s festivities, kicking off an awe-inspiring “Frozen” Fireworks display set to the music of “Frozen” and, of course, a flurry of snow!

I usually try to watch the show from as far back as possible, however these fireworks are woven pretty tightly with the stage show so being close has some great perks.

“Frozen” Themed Photopass Spots

There are two new “Frozen” themed Photopass spots, and they are both a lot of fun.

Located just outside of the entrance to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you will find a “Frozen” Summer Fun Sand Sculpture.

Then just along the banks of Echo Lake, there is a Photopass spot that ‘Rocks’…don’t believe the Trolls it’s not a bit of a fixer-upper.

There is also a “Frozen” Summer Fun Premium Package option for guests to purchase at an additional cost that includes reserved viewing for the Frozen Royal Welcome complete with regal refreshments of water, soft drinks, and ice cream; reserved seating for a showing of For the First Time In Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration; and Frozen Fireworks viewing paired with a Frozen-themed dessert party complete with specialty desserts, cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages. Cost is $69 for adults and $39 for children ages 3-9 (tax and gratuity included). Reservations can be made online at DisneyWorld.com or by calling 407-939-3463.

I had a great day of “Frozen” Summer Fun, and I can’t wait to go back again!

The reservations have been made and the flights are booked for the #CoolestSummer at Walt Disney World. Advance Dining Reservations, you ask? I’ve got that covered as well. I am still contemplating our FastPass+ selections, but for now, my mind is focused on something else…packing!

I’m not talking about just any kind of packing. I’m talking about packing for a family of 5 for a duration of 15 nights. What’s more? Our nephew is joining us for part of it, and we are staying at two Walt Disney World Resorts before embarking on one very magical voyage on Disney Cruise Line.

We have done this before, so it’s not my first (Frontierland) Hoedown! The task is still a daunting one. Lucky for us, we are Disney Vacation Club Members. That means one very important thing, a game changer actually. Can you say “washing machine?!” Don’t worry, this is not an ad for Disney Vacation Club. We just happen to be members and couldn’t live without the washing facilities in our room. But you may want to keep in mind that you can also find washing facilities at all of the Walt Disney World Resorts, and depending on the size of your travel party and your length of stay you may just find that little tidbit of information useful.

Ok, back to packing! I always begin by making a list. I can’t live without my lists. As a matter of fact, I am KNOWN for my list making abilities. LOL! But seriously, never underestimate the importance of a good list.

Packing clothes is the easy part as far as I’m concerned. My first list has to do with all the extras. Things like sunscreen, contacts, glasses, toothpaste, hairbrushes, band -aids, hand sanitizer, make-up, medicines, etc. are the important things to remember. Then the list gets bigger from there!

Incidentally, I have already started that list even though our trip is still a few months away. This way, I can add things as I think of them. This eliminates the pressure of having to remember all this important things at the last minute. I keep the list readily available so that I can easily edit it at a moments notice.

Next comes the clothing items. Lets face it. Airline checked bag prices can be obscene! That is an import thing to note when you start planning how many clothing items you plan to bring along.

Which brings me back to utilizing the laundry facilities. For a 15 night trip, I pack around 6 outfits for each member of our family. It is ridiculously simple to throw in a load at the end of the night and then in to the dryer right when we wake up. If you plan to use community laundry facilities, you can utilize them when you are enjoying downtime at your resort.

Since the July/August heat in Orlando allows you the ability to practically fry an egg on the sidewalk, we only pack shorts, shirts, and light dresses. This also leaves more room in the luggage. How’s THAT for a space saving tip? Before you start planning and packing, you will want to make sure to check the carry-on restrictions for your particular airline.

If your plans include a Land/Sea vacation, like mine, there are some particulars you will definitely want to remember. Although your cruise is prepaid, be sure to remember to pack cash to tip your servers, room steward, etc.

Incidentally, on the first day of your cruise, you’ll want to pack a “day bag.” This is because your checked luggage may not be delivered to your stateroom until after1:30pm or even later. Some items you may want to include in your bag are medications, swimwear, sunscreen, sunglasses, contacts/eyewear, change of clothes (if needed), collared shirts for men, and personal electronics.

Lastly, remember to bring along all the important items specific to a Disney vacation! As a matter of fact, I suggest you make another list! Tops on mine are autograph books, park tickets, rain ponchos, Magic Bands, pin trading lanyards, and EARS.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope my advice helps some of you as you plan your MAGICAL Disney vacation.

Today the 2015 Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival begins and runs until May 17th, and I was lucky enough to be an invited guest of the Walt Disney World Resort to take a special Behind-the-Scenes tour of some of the things you will find at this year’s Festival.

Eric Darden, Horticulture Manager for the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival, and Carla Shuman, a Walt Disney World Landscape Architect, served as our guides as we walked around the Festival as all the pieces were coming together.

Eric Darden and Carla Shuman leading our tour

2015 Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival New Additions

1. The 2015 Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival can’t Let It Go!

The Anna and Elsa topiaries are beautiful and are sure to be a hit this year!

One of my favorite touches is that Anna’s side is full of a vibrant assortment of flowers, while Elsa’s side is delicate white flowers representing snow. I personally wish that Olaf was joining them, but I do love their faces and the scale of the topiaries.

This is sure to be a crazy busy spot for photos, and PhotoPass Photographers will definitely be stationed there for the duration of the Festival.

2. Botanas Botánico joins the Outdoor Kitchen line-up

This year Botanas Botánico, located between the Morocco and France Pavilions, joins the Outdoor Kitchens group with great food options and a beautiful garden that tells a vivid story of indigenous foods.

I had the opportunity to taste the Cachapa con Queso (Sweet Cortn Pancake with Farmers Cheese), and it is a light and flavorful treat that will be great on a hot day! The sweet corn and rich cheese are a wonderful combination.

3. Farmer Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse Topiaries

This year Farmer Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse have Spaceship Earth as their backdrop in an American Gothic-esque photo opportunity.

I loved Goofy here, and can’t wait to take my picture here this year.

4. Fun New Gardens can be found everywhere

The Flower and Garden Festival this year features several new mini-gardens that are themed to their surrounding areas, educational experiences, and even upcoming movies.

I especially love the Shakespeare Garden, located near the United Kingdom Pavilion Restrooms, and the Inside Out Emotion Garden, located just outside of Journey Into Imagination with Figment, because while they are completely different their integration with their surrounding areas is a great added touch.

5. 2015 Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival Merchandise

The Disney Parks Blog shared a peek at this year’s Flower and Garden Festival Merchandise, and I am in trouble!

The Festival Exclusive Disney Dooney & Bourke might be one of my favorite prints of all time!

We are really excited to have Jeremiah Good joining us today to share his Richard Petty Driving #DriveRPDEVIP experience with us today!!!

Jeremiah Good writes for www.laughingplace.com as well as does the Walt Disney World side of the Window to the Magic podcast, he has been a life long fan of Disney “and a heck of a paleontologist” recently moving to Florida to be around all things that is the Mouse. He is also single has baby blue eyes and enjoys long walks on the beach….at the Polynesian Village Resort!

Photo: Jeremiah Good

If you ask any Walt Disney World bus driver what the fastest attraction on property is, odds are high you’ll hear Test Track or some maybe sneaky and tell you the Monorail because it can go faster then they let it…but any answer they give will be wrong unless they tell you about the Richard Petty Driving Experience!

Photo: Jeremiah Good

In 1995 a 1 mile tri-oval track was built in the parking lot area for the Magic Kingdom as a venue for the Izod IndyCar Series and is now the exclusive home to Richard Petty Driving Experience year-round. For anyone who doesn’t know the name Richard Petty, it’s time to move out from under that rock! Richard Petty aka The King raced in over 1,100 races over the span of 35 years and has a list of wins and top 10 finishes that would make Lightning McQueen blow a gasket!

Photo: Jeremiah Good

The Driving Experience actually offers more than just 1 experience, they offer so many it is just easier to go to www.drivepetty.com and find the one that fits you the best. The main opportunities for ride-alongs are in the NASCAR style cars which are custom built for the Driving Experience each coasting somewhere right around $80,000 dollars each! With the ride-along you are sitting shotgun for a minimum of 3 laps reaching speeds of up to 120mph (see told you the bus driver was wrong) while a trained driver pushes the car you are in to the red line! If NASCAR is not your thing they also offer ride-alongs in exotic supercars such as that dream Lamborghini or Porsche we all wanted as kids!

Photo: Jeremiah Good

Speaking of kids, they have also just added a Junior Ride-Along for little ones ages 6-14 who feel that need for speed! Added just recently The Richard Petty Driving Experience teamed with the folks at Pixar to create some custom Cars named Aikin Axler and Sage VanDerSpin that really give kids the feeling they are right there at the Piston Cup with Lightning racing. There is no need to worry about the precious cargo because these cars only reach a top speed of 100mph and were specially designed to keep the little ones safe!

Photo: Jeremiah Good

While this may not seem like the best way to spend a few hours out of your vacation, I can say without a shadow of a doubt someone in your party would jump at the chance to feel what it feels like to be strapped in a car for the fastest ride in Walt Disney World!

Photo: Jeremiah Good

Prices do vary with experiences to please visit www.drivepetty.com and visit the Orlando track for more information.

One of my family’s favorite ways to celebrate the Holidays at Walt Disney World is by taking a little time away from the parks to explore the resorts and their beautiful decorations.

We especially enjoy touring the five deluxe resorts that create unique holiday displays and sugar shacks that are made of edible ingredients. It is amazing to see the craftsmanship that goes into these creations!

Walt Disney World Resort guests can enjoy an all-new Gingerbread Holiday Ice Castle inspired by Disney’s “Frozen” this year on the 4th floor of Disney’s Contemporary Resort. TheÊ17-foot-tall culinary concoction is adorned with favorite characters from the film including Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Kristoff and Sven, 1,500 gingerbread shingles, snowflakes and chocolate-covered trees. “Frozen”-themed merchandise, desserts and gingerbread treats also are available for purchase at the ice castle kiosk. (Kent Phillips, photographer)

A great way to bring a piece of the #DisneyHolidays to your home is by building a Gingerbread House of your own!

Photo: Kelly Hicks

Just inside of the lobby of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn is the location of a new gingerbread display inspired by the Jersey Shore. This new “Gingerbread Stand” is reminiscent of New Jersey Boardwalk concession stands with wreaths made of ice cream cones, plus Disney whimsy with Mickey and Minnie shaped gingerbread heads surrounding the marshmallow dotted marquee.

Photo: Kelly HicksPhoto: Kelly Hicks

At the Gingerbread Stand, you can purchase a kit to create your own house like a Disney Chef for $14.95, and John from BigFatPanda.com had a chance to create an adorable Gingerbread house with Disney’s BoardWalk Inn Pastry Chef Matt Avery.

httpv://youtu.be/ByFwiqGtW_E

I can’t thank John enough for filming this #DisneyHolidays video for us! Make sure you give his BigFatPanda.com YouTube channel a follow!

A Visit to the Custom Tee Center by Champion at ESPN Wide World of Sports

On our #ESPNatDisney tour of the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex Tour, we got the chance to stop into and try out the Custom Tee Center by Champion.

Custom Tee Center by Champion is located just inside the entrance to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill in the Jostens Center. And during larger events, the Custom Tee Center takes the field with a state of the art mobile location.

At the Custom Tee Center you can purchase ESPN Wide World of Sports Event shirts, create your own item to commemorate your trip, or personalize event shirts. They really pack a lot into their space!

We had a blast creating our own shirts at the Custom Tee Center by Champion, and as a bonus it was super easy!

The first thing to decide is what you want to customize! They have added a few new products, the cinch bag and can cooler, as well as added additional sports to their offerings.

And I found the prices for the shirts and two-sided customization to be extremely fair, considering that a ‘normal’ Walt Disney World t-shirt cost on average around $24.95.

Now the fun part is choosing what you would like your item to say! There are iPads around the area that show the different customization options!

The shirts, sweatshirts, cinch bags, and can coolers are created right there in the Custom Tee Center by Champion, they are ready in no time!

Even if your family isn’t competing in an event at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, it’s a great way to show your #DisneySide while you play your favorite sport!

Participants in events at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex can not only create, but customize their sports event tee.

After purchasing an event tee-shirt at one of our retail locations located throughout the complex, athletes and thier supporters can then take their tee to the Custom Tee Center by Champion and choose from more than 50 designs that can be added to commemorate your accomplishment, like 1st Place, Champions, Team Captain, and many more.

The Custom Tee Center by Champion Mobile Center Rendering

Another cool thing about the Tee Center, is that if your are participating in an event at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and the shirt is no longer available they can create one for you!

I couldn’t leave this post without a look at the shirt I created in the Custom Tee Center by Champion…

And yes, that does say Twirl. I was a baton twirler throughout Middle and High School and thought it would be a fun throwback to a time when I learned that bangs really weren’t my thing! LOL!

Then the number 13 has always been my lucky number, and is also mine and my daughter’s birthdays!

I hope that you enjoyed a look at one of my favorite Sports Solutions at the ESPN Wide World of Sports!

Keep looking for more #ESPNatDisney posts from my trip! If you missed it, my first post was about our Fun Run!

DISCLOSURE: I was a guest of the Walt Disney World Resort for the #ESPNatDisney tour, but all opinions are my own.

The other day I came across this book from my childhood, Walt Disney World: A Pictorial Souvenir. The book is from 1986 and has some fantastic pictures from the Disney parks. At that time, the World was much smaller. We only had two theme parks, one water park, four resorts, and not much more. This is a far cry from the four parks, two water parks, 29 resorts and so much more that we have today. So, I thought I’d take a few moments to share some of the pictures and reflect back on how the World used to be.

The book starts with an introduction to Walt Disney World and then breaks it down into subsections. Starting with the Magic Kingdom, the six different lands (this was before Mickey’s Birthdayland/Starland/Toontown) each get their own focus. Several pages with pictures and a brief overview of each land are featured. Walt Disney World has changed quite a bit in the past almost 30 years since the book was released, but it is still cool to see how some attractions are almost exactly the same.

After the Magic Kingdom came EPCOT CENTER. Instead of being broken down into Future World and World Showcase, most all Future World attractions/pavilions get their own section. Likewise, each of the ten countries (prior to Norway’s arrival in 1988) gets their own spread. Most definitely, Future World is where the most notable changes are visible. Attractions of the past like Horizons, World of Motion, Communicore and the Living Seas are neat to see. I didn’t have my first trip to Epcot until April of 1993, so I enjoy that I can look back on some of those things I didn’t get to experience.

Next up is the resort and recreation section of the book, which shows the original and now renamed Polynesian Village, the Contemporary Resort, Discovery Island, River Country, Fort Wilderness, the Disney Inn (now Shades of Green), Walt Disney World Lake Buena Vista, and Walt Disney World Village. The Polynesian, Contemporary and Fort Wilderness each get a two page spread, with the others getting a single page of combined pictures and text.

If you want a copy of the Walt Disney World: A Pictorial Souvenir, I’ve seen a few for sale on Amazon and eBay, but just make sure to pay attention to the year of publication. The pictures and information are great to see for anyone who is nostalgic or someone who wants to see what they weren’t able to themselves.